How to set Hotmail as default mailto simply, no gobbildy-gook

I use Windows7 and Hotmail in Firefox yet cannot default it as my mailto. I have seen gecko etc and it is the java bit that does nothing.
Is there anyone that can solve this simply, I used an app before but I cannot find it now.
Be precise in your instructions. please.

I use Windows7 and Hotmail in Firefox yet cannot default it as my mailto. I have seen gecko etc and it is the java bit that does nothing.
Is there anyone that can solve this simply, I used an app before but I cannot find it now.
Be precise in your instructions. please.

Chosen solution

Hmm, after all that, I noticed an extension that does this a completely different way: it change the links in the page from mailto links (that Firefox turns over to a mail hander) to Live Mail compose links. I haven't tested it myself: Live Mailer.

Set the gecko.handlerService.allowRegisterFromDifferentHost pref to true on the about:config page.
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/about:config
Run the code via the (Firefox/Tools > Web Developer) Scratchpad (Shift+F4) or the Web Console (Ctrl+Shift+K)
Paste the JavaScript code in the code window in the Scratchpad and run the code via "Execute > Run" or paste the code to the command line in the Web Console press Enter to run the code.
Do not forget to reset the gecko.handlerService.allowRegisterFromDifferentHost pref to false after you have added that mail provider.
<pre><nowiki>navigator.registerProtocolHandler('mailto','https://mail.live.com/secure/start?action=compose&to=%s','Live Mail');
</nowiki></pre>
----
*https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Tools/Web_Console
*https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Tools/Scratchpad
''(edited to change http to https - thanks Jscher2000 - c)''

I pasted it into the command line and it seemed to work but I did a restart and checked after that but still no options for Live mail

It helped by explaining where to add the code, unfortunately
navigator.registerProtocolHandler('mailto','http://mail.live.com/secure/start?action=compose&to=%s','Live Mail');
didn't work, I still have no other options than Microsoft Outlook
I pasted it into the command line and it seemed to work but I did a restart and checked after that but still no options for Live mail

Could you reset your application handling preferences back to defaults as follows. Note: this doesn't change all your Firefox preferences, just the ones that appear on the Applications tab of the Options dialog.

Sometimes the file that stores the customizations becomes corrupted and fails to update properly at the end of your session or contains conflicting entries. You can rename the file and customize from scratch.

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using

Help > Troubleshooting Information > "Show Folder" button

Switch back to Firefox and Exit

Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename mimeTypes.rdf to something like mimeTypes.old

Restart Firefox, and a new file will be generated with the default associations.

Hopefully now when you register the new protocol handler it will show up as expected.

Could you reset your application handling preferences back to defaults as follows. Note: this doesn't change all your Firefox preferences, just the ones that appear on the Applications tab of the Options dialog.
Sometimes the file that stores the customizations becomes corrupted and fails to update properly at the end of your session or contains conflicting entries. You can rename the file and customize from scratch.
Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using
Help > Troubleshooting Information > "Show Folder" button
Switch back to Firefox and Exit
Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename '''mimeTypes.rdf''' to something like mimeTypes.old
Restart Firefox, and a new file will be generated with the default associations.
Hopefully now when you register the new protocol handler it will show up as expected.

I did the reset and all the rest then ran navigator.registerProtocolHandler('mailto','http://mail.live.com/secure/start?action=compose&to=%s','Live Mail'); but it only came up as undefined and no option to add

Helpful Reply

I don't know who decides which webmail sites are included by default. Hotmail certainly is popular, so that's not a reason for leaving it out. But I can't change that right now, so let me just review the (many) steps in the process.

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter. Click the button promising to be careful.

(2) In the filter box, type or paste gecko and pause while the list is filtered.

(3) Double-click gecko.handlerService.allowRegisterFromDifferentHost to toggle its value from false to true. The line should turn bold.

(4) In another tab, containing a normal web page, open the Web Console using one of these methods:

Ctrl+Shift+k

orange Firefox button > Web Developer > Web Console

classic Tools menu > Web Developer > Web Console

A small area should open below the current page.

(5) Copy the following line of script and paste it next to the ">" at the bottom of the Web Console (it all goes on one long line):

Then press the Enter key to execute it. An infobar should open at the top of the page. Click "Add Application". You now can close the Web Console using any of the same methods you used for opening it.

If instead of an infobar the Web Console displays "Not allowed to register a protocol handler for mailto" then switch to your about:config tab, filter on mailto. If the line is bold and set to false, double-click network.protocol-handler.external.mailto to toggle its value back to true. Then try this step 5 again.

In the search box on that tab, type or paste mailto and pause while the list is filtered. If you click the drop-down list on the right side, should should now find Live Mail.

(7) Return to the tab with about:config, if you changed the filter change it back to gecko, and double-click gecko.handlerService.allowRegisterFromDifferentHost to return its value to false. You can close about:config.

Success?

I don't know who decides which webmail sites are included by default. Hotmail certainly is popular, so that's not a reason for leaving it out. But I can't change that right now, so let me just review the (many) steps in the process.
(1) In a new tab, type or paste '''about:config''' in the address bar and press Enter. Click the button promising to be careful.
(2) In the filter box, type or paste '''gecko''' and pause while the list is filtered.
(3) Double-click '''gecko.handlerService.allowRegisterFromDifferentHost''' to toggle its value from false to true. The line should turn bold.
(4) In another tab, containing a normal web page, open the Web Console using one of these methods:
* Ctrl+Shift+k
* orange Firefox button > Web Developer > Web Console
* classic Tools menu > Web Developer > Web Console
A small area should open below the current page.
(5) Copy the following line of script and paste it next to the ">" at the bottom of the Web Console (it all goes on one long line):
navigator.registerProtocolHandler('mailto','https://mail.live.com/secure/start?action=compose&to=%s','Live Mail');
Then press the Enter key to execute it. An infobar should open at the top of the page. Click "Add Application". You now can close the Web Console using any of the same methods you used for opening it.
''If instead of an infobar the Web Console displays "Not allowed to register a protocol handler for mailto" then switch to your about:config tab, filter on mailto. If the line is bold and set to false, double-click '''network.protocol-handler.external.mailto''' to toggle its value back to true. Then try this step 5 again.''
(6) Open the Application preferences dialog using:
(WIN) orange Firefox button (or Tools menu) > Options > Applications<br>
(MAC) Firefox > Preferences > Applications<br>
(LINUX) Edit > Preferences > Applications
In the search box on that tab, type or paste '''mailto''' and pause while the list is filtered. If you click the drop-down list on the right side, should should now find Live Mail.
(7) Return to the tab with about:config, if you changed the filter change it back to gecko, and double-click '''gecko.handlerService.allowRegisterFromDifferentHost''' to return its value to false. You can close about:config.
Success?

Chosen Solution

Hmm, after all that, I noticed an extension that does this a completely different way: it change the links in the page from mailto links (that Firefox turns over to a mail hander) to Live Mail compose links. I haven't tested it myself: Live Mailer.

Hmm, after all that, I noticed an extension that does this a completely different way: it change the links in the page from mailto links (that Firefox turns over to a mail hander) to Live Mail compose links. I haven't tested it myself: [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/livemailer/ Live Mailer].

Question owner

Question owner

Why does Firefox not do the right thing and put it in as an option, this is ridiculous !!!!!

I feel the same way !

I'm NOT A GENIUS to go through all this!
We need a better support from you guys in situation like this where the problem could be easily solved at source from MOZILLA rather then us going crazy!

I like Firefox but....I don't want to go crazy in find solutions that could be
easily handled by the experts.
Thanks for your understanding.

Why does Firefox not do the right thing and put it in as an option, this is ridiculous !!!!!
I feel the same way !
I'm NOT A GENIUS to go through all this!
We need a better support from you guys in situation like this where the problem could be easily solved at source from MOZILLA rather then us going crazy!
I like Firefox but....I don't want to go crazy in find solutions that could be
easily handled by the experts.
Thanks for your understanding.